The Ultimate Guide for Beard Care in Every Season

—Josh Lawson
•
Jul 14, 2017

Let’s face it. Sometimes the weather can be unpredictable. No matter how often you look at the weather app on your phone, watch the weatherman, or read the paper, the weather seems to do whatever it pleases. That makes keeping your beard safe and protected from the elements much harder than it needs to be.

Today, I’ll be giving you some tips and tricks to make sure your beard makes it to the end of the day safely in (almost) every type of weather or season. Rain, snow, wind, or shine, you’ll be well prepared in how to handle every situation!

Summer Beard

Above all, stay hydrated! It’s easy to forget to drink water throughout the day. We get it, you’re busy, but you still need to be taking care of yourself. So drink plenty of water! If you stay hydrated, then so will your skin and your beard. The heat can dry out your beard pretty quickly, so keep a balm or oil on you and use them periodically throughout the day to keep it from drying out.

You’ll want to wash your beard regularly, roughly about 3-4 times a week. Find a schedule that you are comfortable with and one that keeps your beard moisturized without damaging it or stripping it of the natural oils too much. A little-known tip is that you can use sunscreen on more than just your skin. Using it in for your hairs can help protect them from fading in color and from the sun breaking down the cuticles underneath.

Keeping your beard through the summer can really help keep your face cool, but it can also absorb the sun’s heat and store it. Trimming it may seem counter-intuitive to maintain the temperature, but you don’t have to cut too much off. You can use scissors and trim your split ends to avoid any itchiness. Just make sure you moisturize your beard after you trim.

Rainy Beard

Rain is the worst honestly. It can come so suddenly, and leave just as quickly, leaving you soaked in the process. The water has minerals in it, so if left your beard they can strip it of those precious natural oils. It’ll leave it feeling greasy or weighed down, which can leave it frizzy or brittle once it dries. There are multiple ways to avoid the rain, but I’m gonna cover ways to specifically protect your beard.

One of the main things you can do is just wear a raincoat, a hoodie, or even just a hat. A raincoat usually has a hood that you can cinch up to your chin which will protect it from the rain. You can do the same thing with a hoodie. It won’t do as well since the fabric will absorb the water instead of repelling it, but it’s better than nothing at all. A wide-brimmed hat can also help keep the rain out of your face and away from your beard.

There are also jackets that zip all the way up over your head, snorkel jackets. If you have one of those handy or a friend you can borrow one from, you can zip it up above your beard, or around your lower face area, to protect it from the rain. If worst comes to worst, and you don’t care about how people look at you, a shower cap is always an option. It can cover your beard the same way that it would cover your hair. It wraps itself around your chin and beard and keeps all the rain away from it, but it doesn’t look as great in public. Who cares though, it's your beard and you gotta protect it!

Rain and wind don't mix well, so even if you use all of the above it still might get wet or even drenched in rainwater. Don’t fret though, the world isn't ending and your beard can still be saved. You don’t want to immediately comb or brush it. You’ll want to dab it dry with a towel, then use the coldest setting on a hair dryer to preserve the health of your beard. Lastly, you can use beard oil to get the good kind of moisture back into your beard.

Winter Beard

First, let’s talk about having a beard in the winter. It sounds like a great idea at first, right? Keeps your face warm, protects you from the cold, and it just makes it easier to walk around outside. But, that means your beard is exposed to snow, wind, and bitter cold so that you can feel warm and comfortable underneath it all.

I know it’s not ideal for when it’s cold outside, but you’ll want to lower the temperature in your shower just a little bit. Hot water can strip your beard and skin of their natural oils, which can result in a brittle and flaky beard. While in the shower, try using more conditioner and less shampoo. Washing your beard too often or using too much shampoo can strip away the oils as well. You’ll want to find a washing/conditioning schedule and cycle that works best for you. You can also try co-washing.

You’ll want to completely and properly dry your beard by dabbing it dry with a towel or a hair dryer on a cold setting. If you leave water on your skin or in your beard the hard minerals found in most tap water will stay behind and dry it all out.

Moisturize your beard and skin after you get out of the shower and get it mostly dry. This will lock in the water from your shower and prevent those hard minerals from sticking to your hair and skin. A balm is better than beard oil as it’ll be less likely to freeze. Make sure the products you use are all natural, as artificial ingredients can lead to your beard freezing over as well. A comb is also your friend during the cold months. It’ll help calm those stray hair, and keep you from looking too scruffy.

Spring Beard

This is usually the time of years people feel like they need to change every bit of themselves. You don’t need to change much, or anything at all. Windy seasons are meant for you to focus on caring for your beard, as the elements aren't much of a threat during this time. You can use the extra effort to exfoliate your skin. This will help you slough off your winter skin, made rough and coarse from the frigid air.

Keeping your skin moisturized during this time will also be helpful since you are getting rid of those dead skin cells. It’ll keep your skin and beard healthy. Switching up your scent or just trying out new styles is what this type of weather is for. See what makes you most comfortable and confident in yourself.